If the over 3,000-strong ‘Plano-East’ meeting January 9–10
just south of Washington, DC, was an example, the network of faithful
Episcopalians emerging within the Episcopal Church (ECUSA), but outside its
official structure, was even then becoming – as one speaker put it – ‘a
force to be reckoned with’.

It was still ten days before its official launch, but the new
Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes (NACDP) was already starting
to be treated as the legitimate US branch of the Anglican Communion by several
Anglican provinces and even other Christian bodies, said Pittsburgh Bishop
Robert Duncan and other principals at Plano-East in Woodbridge, Virginia.

Sponsored by the DC and Virginia chapters of the American
Anglican Council (AAC), Plano-East was called as a follow-up to October's Dallas
(Plano) meeting – where some 2,700 conservative Episcopalians gathered to
stand for the faith and seek a way forward following the watershed Episcopal
General Convention. But registration for the Virginia meeting well exceeded that
of the Texas conference.

Gospel Imperatives

‘We are here to worship Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth and
the Life,’ and to ‘gather and unite around his leadership,’ the Revd John
Guernsey, Rector of All Saints' Church, Woodbridge, told the enthusiastic
assembly at the city's huge Hylton Memorial Chapel.

‘We are here for solid biblical teaching, for fellowship and
mutual encouragement,’ to ‘offer hope’ to the next generation, and to gain
insights into Anglican realignment and the emerging NACDP, he said. The meeting
also drew attention to some worthy orthodox ministries, several of them making a
difference overseas.

‘We are here to pray for our broken church,’ Guernsey went
on. ‘We are not here because of what we are against, but of what we are for:
the transforming love of Christ,’ he said. He welcomed any persons present who
may disagree with the AAC. Guernsey reported that the Plano-East throng included
bishops, clergy, laity, seminarians, persons of all ages, ‘from 45 dioceses in
25 states including, praise God, New Hampshire.’

Test of commitment

It seemed a good gauge of the nascent Network's gathering
strength, in the wake of ECUSA's consecration of Gene Robinson, a non-celibate
homosexual, as Bishop Coadjutor of New Hampshire, and approval of optional
same-sex blessings.

While those decisions capped some 25 years of liberal revisions
in ECUSA, they were for many the most biblically clear-cut. Seen by most
Anglicans worldwide as defying not only the plain teaching of scripture but
settled doctrine and widespread appeals, ECUSA's actions have quickened a
process of realignment in which many American conservatives are striving to
remain linked to the Communion's faithful majority – and vice versa. At this
writing, 11 (of 38) provinces had declared broken or impaired communion with
ECUSA's liberal leadership, while maintaining support for biblically orthodox
Episcopalians.

The new NACDP is even said to have the encouragement of the
Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams. But, while it seems highly unlikely
that he would presently support the designation of it as a ‘replacement’ for
ECUSA – an unprecedented step – he may ultimately face a hard choice on that
score.

Griswold rebuffed

The most remarkable recent illustration of the change taking
place came in a stinging letter to ECUSA Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, in
which the Ugandan Anglican Church – which earlier cut ties with ECUSA –
turned back the US Church's plans to send a delegation to the installation of
Uganda's new presiding bishop. It also saw ECUSA's offer of aid as an attempt to
buy Uganda's silence and cooperation for its unbiblical policies.

‘The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not for sale, even among the
poorest of us who have no money,’ the letter declared. ‘Eternal life,
obedience to Jesus Christ, and conforming to his Word are more important,’
said the Ugandans – who invited Network representatives to attend their
archbishop's installation instead.

‘That is radical stuff,’ the Revd Martyn Minns, rector of
Virginia's Truro Church, Fairfax, told Plano-East participants. Minns said the
Ugandan event would be attended by Bishop Duncan, NACDP's Moderator, and Dallas
Bishop James Stanton, and others. (The leaders left for Uganda after the formal
inauguration of the Network January 20 at Christ Church, Plano, where
participants included representatives of a dozen dioceses.)

Senior bishops

The new network also got a boost from a ‘group of senior
bishops’ which Minns told Plano-East attendees is now prepared to exercise
episcopal ministry to ‘marginalized’ or embattled parishes across diocesan
lines – with or without the permission of the local ECUSA bishop. In an
understatement, he observed that providing unauthorized episcopal ministry,
while pastoral in intent, ‘may cause some controversy.’

Though there was speculation that the line-crossers may include
foreign bishops – canonically untouchable by ECUSA. Minns did not name names,
and neither would other AAC spokesmen.

Notably, ‘adequate episcopal oversight’ for conservative
parishes in hostile circumstances – a provision that is critical to the new
Network's viability – has the backing of Anglican primates (provincial
leaders), who indicated at their October meeting in London that they will
monitor the provision of such oversight via the Archbishop of Canterbury's role
as consultant in the matter. Still, it appears virtually certain that there will
be a need for bishops willing to cross lines without permission. Already, ECUSA
and AAC officials are stalemated over a draft bishops' plan that provides no
override of the local bishop if he/she fails to permit ‘adequate’ episcopal
ministry (‘adequate’ being judged by the recipients).

We are ready

Episcopal bishops are to discuss a plan for ‘supplemental’
episcopal care at a March meeting, but ECUSA Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold has
indicated he is unwilling to yield on the matter of an override, or to cede ‘oversight’
to someone other than the diocesan bishop. Griswold also claims that Archbishop
Williams insisted that the issue must be worked out within ECUSA, inferring that
conservatives cannot expect help from Canterbury.

Meanwhile, the need for a ‘theologically orthodox’ bishop
grows urgent among conservative ECUSA parishes, many of them ‘experiencing
continuous and often intense harassment from their diocesan bishops’, said the
ACC, which has provided an application process for parishes seeking alternate
episcopal care.

Though, clearly, it will not be all smooth sailing into
uncharted Anglican waters, Minns described the Network as a means of upholding
historic faith and maintaining a bridge to the world-wide Communion. What it
will do is ‘give hope and a place to belong for Anglican Christians in North
America who are committed to a biblical worldview and a biblical way of life,’
Minns said.

Around the Communion and ecumenically, he said, the Network ‘gives
us a way to connect with those sisters and brothers around the world … who
will no longer recognize the current leadership of [ECUSA].’‘Could it be a
replacement for ECUSA? Only God knows, but we'll be ready.’

Auburn Traycik is the editor of The Christian Challenge, the
premier traditionalist journal of news and comment in the United States. www.orthodoxAnglican.org/TCC.